Math Mavens - If a person wanted to learn basic Trignometry...

February 26, 2021, 10:03 AM

I barely scraped through Algebra 1 in high school but that was more about lazy than stupid.

Based on a pretty weak math background, would it be reasonable to try to pick up the basics of Trig through self study?

If so, recommendations for sources of study - on line or ???

February 26, 2021, 10:07 AM

Mutiny

Online you could try Kahn Academy. It is free and has good video tutorials and practice problems.

February 26, 2021, 10:09 AM

Flash-LB

Or just get a book on it.

February 26, 2021, 10:13 AM

ss9961

quote:
Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Or just get a book on it.

A book? Seriously? Ok Grandpa.
What a dinosaur.

February 26, 2021, 10:16 AM

PHPaul

quote:
Originally posted by ss9961:
quote:
Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Or just get a book on it.

A book? Seriously? Ok Grandpa.
What a dinosaur.

Actually, Trig for Dummies might be a good starting place. (Betting there is such a book...)

February 26, 2021, 10:28 AM

Redhookbklyn

Amazon

February 26, 2021, 10:34 AM

Rey HRH

A book, paper and pen (or pencil) is all you need.
Trigonometry itself is a self-contained module. I think it's the building block for the physics learning about forces and vectors.

What will help you learn is doing the exercises and checking your work against the answer key. Except sometimes the answer keys are wrong.

I really think you would have used it in your work in the navy and just didn't think you were doing trig. Of course, you probably had computers doing the calculating for you.

"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.

February 26, 2021, 10:38 AM

PHPaul

quote:
Originally posted by Rey HRH:
A book, paper and pen (or pencil) is all you need.
Trigonometry itself is a self-contained module. I think it's the building block for the physics learning about forces and vectors.

What will help you learn is doing the exercises and checking your work against the answer key. Except sometimes the answer keys are wrong.

I really think you would have used it in your work in the navy and just didn't think you were doing trig. Of course, you probably had computers doing the calculating for you.

I was an Electronics Tech. Nothing much beyond a little basic Algebra.

The idea behind learning some Trig is twofold:

1) There have been times recently when being able to "do the math" myself would have saved some time and

2) The brain is a muscle and needs exercise, especially as we age.

February 26, 2021, 10:41 AM

TigerDore

My son doubted my math abilities but brought this problem to me when having some trouble. I solved it quickly; it left him speechless.

If you need any help. Let me know.

.

February 26, 2021, 10:55 AM

HRK

Why Trig, what's your angle?

February 26, 2021, 10:56 AM

PHPaul

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
Why Trig, what's your angle?

Don't be obtuse.

February 26, 2021, 10:57 AM

Flash-LB

quote:
Originally posted by ss9961:
quote:
Originally posted by Flash-LB:
Or just get a book on it.

A book? Seriously? Ok Grandpa.
What a dinosaur.

You've never heard of kindle? What are you, a neanderthal?

February 26, 2021, 10:59 AM

nhtagmember

I would also advise you to get a book

trig isn't hard, and half of it is being able to visualize

some of it is just remembering some basic rules but there is more to it than just triangles

contact your local school and ask if you can borrow one of their textbooks on introductory trig and analytical geometry

that would be a good start

February 26, 2021, 11:01 AM

PHPaul

quote:
Originally posted by TigerDore:
My son doubted my math abilities but brought this problem to me when having some trouble. I solved it quickly; it left him speechless.

If you need any help. Let me know.

.

The one math course I really enjoyed and understood thoroughly in High School was Plane Geometry. That's a 3-4-5 right triangle. Or, from our Greek friend Pythagoras, A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared.

Or, phrased as a Dad Joke:

There was an Indian Chief, and he had three squaws. And kept them in three tee-pees. When he would come home late from hunting, he would not know which tee-pee contained which squaw.. being dark and all. He went hunting one day, and killed a hippopotamus, a bear, and a buffalo. He put the a hide from each animal into a different tee-pee, so that when he came home late.. he could feel inside the tee-pee and he would know which squaw was inside.

Well after about a year, all three squaws had children. The squaw on the bear had a baby boy, the squaw on the buffalo hide had a baby girl. But the squaw on the hippopotamus had a girl and a boy. So what is the moral of the story?

The Squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws of the other two hides.

February 26, 2021, 11:07 AM

blueye

I think Youtube has videos that might help.

February 26, 2021, 11:07 AM

Donothing

Why??? Hitting yourself in the head repeatedly with a hammer would be more fun.

February 26, 2021, 11:09 AM

TigerDore

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
Why Trig, what's your angle?

February 26, 2021, 11:11 AM

TigerDore

quote:
Originally posted by PHPaul:
The Squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws of the other two hides.

Oh, that was bad... even more of a "dad joke" than mine.

February 26, 2021, 11:26 AM

trapper189

The worst thing about trig used to be looking up the factors in the tables I’m the back of the book. They all use calculators now.

February 26, 2021, 11:27 AM

PHPaul

quote:
Originally posted by TigerDore:
quote:
Originally posted by PHPaul:
The Squaw on the hippopotamus is equal to the sum of the squaws of the other two hides.

Oh, that was bad... even more of a "dad joke" than mine.

And that is literally a Dad Joke. My Dad told it to me back around 1965.

.